


my first kiss (went a little like this)

by cloudruniere



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Confessions, First Kiss, Fluff, Highschool AU, Humour, M/M, but never any actual sex, hyper sexual jokes, jaemin is the devil but we love him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-09-06 01:20:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16822279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cloudruniere/pseuds/cloudruniere
Summary: Mark was seventeen when he got his first kiss





	my first kiss (went a little like this)

Mark was seventeen when he got his first kiss. He didn’t have a single regret about it at all.

Though it was at a party (the types normally associated with mistakes) – at least in the general area of one – with someone he really barely knew, Mark was sure a person who made gross street lights seem not so gross was worth keeping.

Mark was spacing out the day The Boy walked into the cafeteria. Mark was bored, entertaining himself by switching his gaze from the slowly ticking clock to the plain, grey doors that had a side job as his escape route from the hell hole of a day he’s had. He had gym next period. Mark dreaded the class, maybe if he skipped it wouldn't be that big of a deal…

Once the thought passed, Mark’s eyes flashed to the quick movement of the door opening and his brain suddenly felt as if every thought he had was currently idiotic and decided to scrap every single one, opting instead to zero in on the details of that boy. His caramel hair brightening the white walls of the room, lips a rosy red that glistened in fluorescent lighting as his slender body anxiously skirted through busy tables, uniform in disarray, Mark getting a peak at too much skin at the top as the buttons were unevenly placed.

Gulping down air stuck in his throat, Mark let his eyes blatantly follow the boy as he hurriedly jogged across the room to immediately sit with evident tiredness with a group of senior boys. Mark wondered when he came here. Even if he didn’t know everyone’s names in his grade, he recognized faces fairly well and that was a face he would have had trouble forgetting.

He watched them talk and briefly wondered how long he’s been staring until he felt a sharp poke on his jaw. Mark startled upright from leaning in the boy’s direction and gave Jaemin a dead stare.

“What?” Mark asked, eyes already inching back to the beacon of light five tables down. Just then, The Boy threw his head back in joyous laughter and Mark’s jaw dropped. Wow.

“Do you realize how creepy you’re being?” Jaemin smacked his lips as he rolled a lollipop in his mouth.

“I- I- what - no,” Mark fought a weak argument and sighed when Jaemin didn’t bother to reply, just a simple shake of his head and turned back to their other friends.

Mark attempted to eat his lunch but his appetite was gone. He needed to look just once more. So, he turned his head but with great disappointment, the table was empty.

\---

Mark was not counting how many times he saw a mop of caramel hair that was not The Boy’s... nor was he counting the number of people he passed that appeared to match his exact height. This was the beginning of his downfall in an amateur obsession. Jaemin rolled his eyes when Mark fiddled with his backpack straps, nervously shifting in his place when a light haired student was at the other end of the hallway. The group dispersed and Mark hung his head when it wasn’t him.

“Creep.”

Mark glared at Jaemin putting away things in his locker and leaned heavily onto the wall.

“Am not!” Mark fought but Jaemin was stubborn.

“Why don’t you just ask around for his name or something,” Jaemin kicked his foot off the wall and the pair started to meander through the busy halls, unfortunately making good time to math class.

Mark wrinkled his nose in distaste, “Isn’t that creepy?”

“It’s better than what you’re doing right now.”

“Look,” Mark said, spinning so he was facing Jaemin dead on, eyes serious to stress this important subject. “I am not you,” he stressed, hands waving madly. “I can’t just go up to a stranger i find attractive and ask him out.”

“Why not?” Jaemin asked, clearly seeing no big deal at the issue. To prove it, Jaemin stopped walking and turned to stand beside a school mate with a neon orange lollipop in his hand.

Mark stopped, annoyed beyond belief and somewhat exasperated since, as much as he hated Mrs. Choi, he did not want to be late to her class. She forced students who arrived past the bell to write the homework on the chalkboard and unfortunately, Mark did not do his homework.

(AND NO - he was not daydreaming about A Boy whose laugh twinkled like fairy bells in the spring or whose angelic face rivalled any son of Aphrodite...maybe he was thinking of holding hands with A Boy down crowded school halls laughing about biology or hugging hello’s in the morning and hugging goodbye’s in the afternoon)

“Hurry up, man,” Mark hissed.

Jaemin either ignored him or was too focus on snatching the sweets from the guy’s hands. Mark studied the guy’s spaced out look, probably struggling with the decreasing distance between him and Jaemin. But to Mark’s relief, Jaemin backed away with a flirty wave of his fingers, lollipop in his mouth and his lips curling in a smirk directed at his friend.

“You suck,” Mark said.

Jaemin pushed him inside, sending him a wink just as the bell rang and Mark cringed when his name was called, his notebook blank and chalk lead in his hand. He cursed Jaemin with the passion of a thousand suns.

\---

Their first encounter was sudden and Mark wondered if the big guy directing the film of his life had a thing for cliches. A cheesy film debut starring a bumbling Mark Lee who meets the future love of his life in a dirty high school hallway.

Mark never imagined that someone would actually crash into his life.

Tired, half asleep, with three textbooks in his bag weighing him down, Mark was barely trudging his feet as he turned a corner at the end of an especially tiring day. Lockers were fading behind him, walls filled with glass cases stacked high with golden trophies popping up. Too occupied fighting to keep his eyes open, two boys crashed into one another, sending one onto the floor and the other smack on top of him.

Mark fell back as easily as a leaf could fall in autumn, with a gentle twilight breeze, but whoever fell in top of him weighed a million times that.

He was disorientated for a moment, head clearing and tiredness going away to make room for pain and Mark pulled his hand trapped between two bodies to rub his throbbing head. There was a buzzing in his ear that took time to dwindle down and when it did, a voice was calling out to him.

“I am so sorry!”

Mark nodded, eyes still hazy and unclear, busy trying to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. Without thought, he smacked his own head just to make sure he was up and awake - regretfully, he was, and he couldn’t breathe. He groaned and weakly shoved the body directly on top of him.

“Shit, right.”

Mark let out a deep exhale, heaving as he sat upright, head still lolling to the side, getting a feel for the ache churning in his brain.

“Hey, are you alright?”

Nodding again, Mark opened an eye to peak at the person in front of him. He would have laughed had he felt it wouldn’t cause him discomfort. Instead, he just gaped and thanked his film director (wondered if his head needed a bruise for this meeting to happen).

The silence started to get awkward and Cute Boy (not just A Boy, because this boy was Very Cute) started to look worried so Mark hurried to say something.

“Y-Y- Yeah-” That was both a stutter and a voice crack. Mark struggled not to face palm and just watched rich chocolate eyes, his heart feeling like it was being twisted and yanked. Ow, why does Cute Boy have to do this to me...His hand came up to his chest but smoothly transitioned to wrap his fingers tightly around his belt loops instead. Cool pose, bro. “I’m f-fine.”

“Are you sure? You took a nasty fall.” Cute Boy gave a quick once over, nodding when Mark seemed to be okay. “Sorry again.”

“Wait,” Mark panicked and filtered through his cluttered mind for something decent to say. Applauding himself for being raised with manners, he asked, “Are you okay?”

Cute Boy smiled and Mark locked it into every corner of his mind. He was so gorgeous.

“I’m fine, don’t worry. I should have been more careful,” he insisted and started to walk away again.

Mark watched as the distance between them grew farther and in a moment of confidence, he made long strides to catch up to the other’s quick steps. His hand reached out to wrap around a swinging arm but suddenly, a door opened right in between them and blocked Mark, hitting him straight on like a comic from cartoons that used to make Mark laugh.

Mark wasn’t laughing but the freshman who hit him was, blubbering failed words of apology as Mark was knocked back to the ground, the ache in his head already gone but now his nose was in need of some attention. Mark sent a glare to the niner standing above him and sighed as Cute Boy, His Boy, walked away, oblivious to the situation behind him and earphones, which Mark could see hanging out one ear, probably on full blast.

\---

Mark barely avoided slamming his locker onto his finger and fell back with a grimace, facing Jaemin who was too distracted with his phone to notice.

“What did you say?”

Jaemin looked up, eyes flashing slyly before dropping back to softly play some sort of dance pop song on his phone. His voice was high pitched and teasing as he said, “A little birdie told me something.”

Mark eyed his friend wearily then started to make his way to the cafeteria. “Okay…”

Jaemin laughed, the kind where he knew something and was willing to share said secret only after several moments of torture to let it loose.

“So how much of our little Markie’s heart has dear Renjun been occupying?”

“What?” Mark said, eyes widening hugely. This distraction caused him to run into a metal wall, it being someone’s open locker with the owner staring at the mangled Mark on the floor. Mark hurriedly stood up, mumbling meek apologies as Jaemin took his arm to lead him away from the mess but with some difficulty since he was full bodily chuckling.

“That was smooth, Lee,” Jaemin said, patting Mark’s shoulder condescendingly.

“Shut up,” Mark said, stepping aside so Jaemin’s hand dropped. “Now what did you say?”

Lips curling mischievously, Jaemin singsonged, “Renjunnie and Markie would be adorable, wouldn’t they?”

Mark scowled. “Stop that.”

“What? I got you a name, didn’t I?”

Two syllables that rolled off his tongue in a significant way. Two syllables, eight letters, and a definite name but - “Renjun?” Mark asked, eyebrows quirking with the questioning tilt of his voice. “Are you sure?”

“Pretty much,” Jaemin said, shoulders lifting up and down in childish pride.

“Well, alright then,” Mark said, shuffling in place before filing down the hallway again, past chattering students, aiming for that particular hall where a Beautiful Boy visited every morning and afternoon.

Mark sucked in a breath as he turned a corner and there He was, back curled in a horrible posture squeezed between two senior students, all three rushing to put books away as the bell rang. Mark attempted to look nonchalantly to the side, an otherwise casual glance but met a fresh face where he expected an oblivious back and his head snapped back so fast, his neck sharply stung.

“Smooth, Lee.”

Mark grimaced at Jaemin striding beside him. Looking back just once, he watched Gorgeous Boy grab two textbooks heavily weighing down in his hands and walk down the north hallway with a brown haired boy. In contrast, brown hair was gentle, walking like he was floating, like a ballerina, whereas His Boy smiled with a loud thunder and skipped down the hall, shining eyes and Mark’s heart in his hand.

“So are my helpful resources going to be put to work or was all that energy going to put to waste?”

Mark scratched his head. “I don’t know. Thanks I mean but-”

“But what?”

“What do you mean but what?” Mark’s face reddening at the prospect of what Jaemin may be on the road to suggesting. “All I have is a name, not much development there to be honest.”

“Hey, why don’t you do this?”

“I don’t think I want to listen to this.”

“This,” Jaemin urged, pushing Mark slightly to the left and in front of a table set up beside a stairwell, “is your solution.”

Hearts, hearts and oh look more hearts, Mark singsonged in his head as he studied the tacky decorations stapled on faded red parchment carelessly strewn over a plastic table. Valentine’s Day was this week, Mark suddenly remembered, finally piecing together why the school was suddenly covered in love songs.

“What is that?” Mark sounded appalled and confused. Mostly confused.

“It’s those corny love letter things. You write your babe’s name, then your name, you stick it yourself on their lockers and boom, happily ever after.” Jaemin waved his arms in the air, pleased with himself.

“I’m not too sure about that…” Mark said, stomach coiling at the prospect of attaching his name to cheap candy shyfully delivered.

Jaemin faced him, staring his best friend down, their slight height difference surprisingly intimidating and hands a heavy weight on Mark’s slouched shoulders. “Be,” Jaemin’s voice was low and mildly threatening, “a man.”

Mark couldn’t help himself and chuckled despite Jaemin’s intimidating stance. “Are you gonna make a man outta me?”

Jaemin frowned.

Mark giggled, “How many times do you listen to that song in a day?”

Jaemin snapped back, “It’s my anthem. And don’t kid yourself, everyone has a Disney song on their phone.”

Mark paused, “I just downloaded the entire Frozen soundtrack.”

“Oh, which is your favourite?”

“Love is an Open Door,” Mark wrapped his arms around his textbooks, jumping up and down giddily.

“It’s so cute, I love Anna’s-” Jaemin halted his movements to reach for his phone he buried in his back pocket. “Wait, stop, no distractions, change of topic forbidden, fuck you.”

Mark fumbled with his books and spluttered.

“What were we talking about? Oh yes, showing your crush.”

“It’s not a crush!”

“Oh? Then showing your love.”

Mark flustered, “Love?!”

Jaemin appeared to be an inch away from tearing everything apart. “Do you want a boyfriend or what?”

“I- just-” Mark cursed his tongue for shutting down. “He’s so beautiful. He laughs like he knows that plants won’t grow if he doesn’t. His smile is brighter than the motherfucking sun and I swear I haven’t been outside as much as I should have if I knew the sun was that warm. I want to know him, I want to meet him, I want to fucking talk to him and know everything about him. I want to wedge myself into his mind and sit in corners just basking in who he is and... if he lets me I want to cuddle.” Mark breathed, “I’d like to cuddle. He looks like a cuddler. I really hope he is.”

“Dude, write that down before you forget.”

Mark made a face which was a generous combination of baffled and stressed. “Why?”

“For the card,” Jaemin pushed him forward. “Now go, that was great, he might like all that.”

Mark argued, “Ew, who would like that, that was full fledged embarrassment in five sentences.”

“I’m pretty sure you said more than five,” Jaemin stopped his great strength in leading Mark towards the Valentine’s table. “But I guess that won’t fit in the card so you’ll have to wing it. Good luck.”

Mark reluctantly started to sift through the pile of tiny pre-decorated cards mixed together in a pile. Oh well, Mark decided, picking up a fairly decent looking one, it was worth a try. Except -

“Wait, Jaemin!”

“What do you want.”

“Can I have a dollar?”

“You’re so lame.”

\---

Fridays never made him feel like throwing up but then again it wasn’t every Friday he held an anonymous (he was too cowardly to write down his name) love letter taped to a small bag of Skittles candy soon to be placed on his crush’s locker.

(He admits it’s a crush ok? He figures the fast beating of his heart, the sweat on his forehead, and the clammy hands were telling him something. Those don’t happen when he looks at other boys so it must mean a crush. If not, he might have to go to the hospital but he’s really afraid of needles. He hopes it’s just a crush and he isn’t dying. But his heart does feel like it’s dropping in his chest and oh god he’s dying-)

Unlike any other student in his school’s population, Mark found a good excuse as to not drop off the flimsy card in his hand this morning. The excuse being his hands were shaking and Jaemin’s not-really-but-still-there peer pressure was making him panic too much.

Once the final school bell rang, hordes of students flooded the halls, eager to begin their weekend. Mark, however, commenced his speed walk to the north hallway, card in hand, and no friend to remind him to breathe. His heart stuttered rapidly, malfunctioning from a dangerous mix of nervousness and mild excitement.

Rounding behind a corner, Mark watched a group of seniors disperse until only a single figure was left. Mark bit his lip and clutched the card tightly in his hand. If he took three steps to the right he’d be visible from his pathetic position and he could simply give the card. A little bubble of encouragement stewed in his chest (that which Mark blamed on the grape juice he had at lunch) and without even realizing, found himself fondly staring down at The Boy.

“Um-” Mark coughed and fought not to just blatantly stare at The Most Beautiful Specimen Known to Man. “Here,” Mark said, practically shoving the cute little card violently into The Boy’s precious hands.

“Oh,” The Boy said, playing with the card and flipping it between his fingers. “Thanks.” A small smile (the birds sang, the rain stopped, his heart froze, and his breath? gone) sent his way and Mark wondered if he - “Wait, aren’t you the guy I knocked over a few days ago?”- remembered.

(oh my gosh, yes, he did)

Mark struggled to be calm. “Yeah,” Mark sifted his shaking hand through mussy brown hair. “Hi.”

“Hi,” The Boy said, amiably. “Well, I’ll give this to Renjun then.”

Mark nodded, but then - “Wait what?”

The Boy cocked an eyebrow and Mark wondered how an action such as that could make someone so attractive.

The Boy waved the card with cursive writing at the very front. “This is for Renjun right? From you?” There was a teasing tone at the end of his voice, similar to Jaemin’s teasing, but more singsong, more melodic, more everything Mark could ever feel.

But no, this was not right. “No,” Mark scrambled, brain turning to mush and heart far, far away but so, so close. “It’s not from me, really, it’s from a friend.”

“Oh well, your friend will be disappointed to know Renjun has a boyfriend,” The Boy said. “But this will hike up his ego by 100 percent so I’ll just leave it here for him to find on Monday.” He separated the letter from the candy. “I love skittles,” he sang, a cute little hum under his breath, then slid the letter between the slight space of a locker, and Mark heard the paper rustle until it hit a metal shelf inside.

Mark cleared his throat, trying to make the conversation come naturally. “I thought this was Renjun’s locker?”

The Boy looked at where Mark pointed and shook his head with a small giggle. Mark wondered what kind of jokes he liked, what kind of shows he watched, what types of things made him blush. Should he compliment him? Tell him his uniform looks really nice today? That the way he tied his tie was the best way to tie a tie? Should he -

“Nope,” The Boy of His Dreams gestured to the locker to the left. “Renjun’s locker,” then he gestured to the one Mark pointed at, the one he’s been visiting regularly this year for all reasons related to the boy currently explaining the confusion, which was open just a few moments ago before Mark arrived, and said, “Donghyuck’s locker.”

Two syllables, nine letters and it sounded so much better when Mark said it himself than any other name. “Donghyuck.”

“Donghyuck. Lee Donghyuck,” the boy, Donghyuck (he had a name!), said and put up two thumbs turned to himself in the dorkiest gesture that made Mark want to commit his life to this one forever. “That’s me.”

“Hi, Donghyuck,” Mark said, a wash of relief coming over him. Donghyuck. Donghyuck. Donghyuck. “Nice to meet you.”

“I didn’t know teenagers shook hands,” Donghyuck said and Mark didn’t even notice he extended his arm but didn’t retract when a hand smaller than his own accepted the gesture. Warm at the palm, cold at the fingertips. Mark wanted to deny the dozens upon dozens of butterflies flying in his stomach but he loved how, finally, something felt so right.

“I think this would be a good time to tell me your name too,” Donghyuck said and Mark met with eyes sparkling with happiness. Mark wanted to be the reason behind that crinkle, that huff, that breathless laugh and eyes that never left his.

“Mark,” he said. Damn, where did all the air go? Were his cheeks red? He felt warm. Donghyuck looked fine. He looked better than fine. He looked like he deserved the world. Mark wanted to give him that.

Donghyuck began to walk and Mark felt inclined to follow, earnestly listening to him say, “I’m sorry for your friend.”

“It’s alright,” Mark said, rubbing the back of his head. “I-I-I think he’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure?” Donghyuck turned to him, lips lopsided in the cutest smirk he’s ever seen and Mark was teetering between wanting Donghyuck to keep smiling or to stop because those lips weren’t even trying to tease or taunt him but they had a job he was sure they weren’t aware they were doing so well.

Nodding three times in succession, Mark laughed with Donghyuck, sounds mingling together and making Mark want to continue their harmonization in every single way. He was getting closer, he could feel it.

“I have to catch my bus,” Donghyuck interrupted their light chatter.

“Of course, I wouldn’t want you to miss it,” Mark said, though he worried about the next time they would mee. “Running after it would be a annoying.”

“Don’t worry,” Donghyuck said as he opened a door. “Besides,” Mark could never miss the twinkle in his eyes. “I only run after cute boys.”

Jaw hanging open after the flirtatious implication, Mark could never guess he would ever feel like this. His heart thrumming, his heart aching, his heart reaching to the boy skipping away outside. Wow, Mark thought as he made his own way home, wow.

\---

Mark believed he was awkward – endearingly so at times and a full blown burden at most. But he hoped that his third meeting with Donghyuck left an impression undoubtedly adorable (and dateable).

“I feel nauseous,” Mark groaned as they walked up to the house in that rich area everyone knew about. He’s had alcohol before and didn’t fancy the taste, the intoxicating smell surrounding him and distinctly overwhelming. People crowded around cars outside, red cups in hand with liquid splashing carelessly everywhere as they bounced to some type of techno music, words Mark wouldn’t bet to decipher. Teenagers were spilling from windows, literally in some cases Mark noticed as he followed Jaemin inside. There was a boy dangling his body from a window chugging a bottle dry.

It wasn’t even the first cliche house party he’s been to. It wasn’t even his tenth. It had to at least be the 30th if the way Jaemin had to stop 50 times before they even entered the house were any indication how popular he seemed to be. Mark cursed, Jaemin was literally a bigger dork than he was. They literally spent two hours crying over Disney movies earlier today. The duality of the dumbass he called his best friend was beyond him.

They minute they pass the threshold, they get shoved around, bodies rubbed and touched in places definitely unwelcomed for Mark. But while Mark felt disgruntled, Jaemin felt empowered and was too distracted by the looks sent his way to notice Mark’s discomfort. Mark let a tug on his shirt pull him away from watching a girl do some sort of acrobatic act on the kitchen table.

A hot whisper in his ear was almost unheard as the violent techno transitioned into a dirty rap song. “Try to enjoy yourself, okay man?” Jaemin yelled before he was gone, turning into another body in the busy living room dance floor.

This was not Mark’s idea of a perfect Saturday evening, left to play with his fingers in a corner until the clock struck midnight and his cinderella-esque self could drag both their asses back home.

Mark sighed, teeth gnawing his lip as a way of coping with the slight frustration of being in an unfamiliar place with very little people he knew. He did recognize a few faces and had half a mind to walk up to them. But logic reared its ugly head, reminding him that no one would offer to leave the hype of the party to usher a stiff Mark to a “safe” part of the house (a place where his butt would touch no one else's).

Accepting he was on his own for the rest of the night, Mark decided that a good idea would be to steer away from the pulsating beats of the stereo. Snaking around jumping girls and grinding guys, Mark led himself to a more secluded area by a stairwell where Jaemin could probably find him later, when he was done making his way through half the student body.

“Hey, cutie.”

Mark froze and angled himself to look at a guy giving him weird looks. Well not weird, Mark thought it was supposed to come off as attractive but it really was not working for him. With a fake smile, he shot away, legs hurdling up the stairs where it was significantly quieter but similarly filled with students or really any other person in want of a drink and eager lips.

Not acknowledging anyone else giving him suggestive looks, Mark searched for a room since he figured it was the only way to just relax and avoid talking to anyone. Set to take the antisocial route for tonight, Mark opened the first door that appeared empty to him and gasped in surprised when seeing that it was indeed occupied. “I...am so sorry,” Mark slowly backed away, extremely embarrassed that he interrupted a group’s seven minutes in heaven. “Keep having fun!”

Mortified and feeling extremely hot, he made sure to slam the door as he raced away from the offending entrance, making way past curious looks sent his way and opted to just go inside the room farthest down the hall.

One safely inside, Mark leaned his head against the door, banging his head a few times for good measure and hoped that when he turned around there would be an empty room.

“Hello?”

Okay definitely not the only person in the room. Mark changed his wish so that the other occupants were all fully clothed and kept their hands and lips to themselves.

“Mark?”

A nice ring to his name and Mark could only associate that heavenly voice to a single person. Whipping himself around rapidly, Mark was relieved to see Donghyuck and three other guys sitting on the floor of a bedroom. The phone in Donghyuck’s hand was playing music so softly it nearly faded into the background of the heavy beats from the party downstairs and littered inside the group’s little circle were empty soda cans.

“Hi,” Mark said, glad to see a normal person and for a moment second guessed the strangers also inside. Not thinking and in a hurry to reassure, “You guys aren’t planning on having one big make-out session are you? Especially if, like, I’m in the room?”

Everyone, all three strangers, even Donghyuck, burst out into laughter.

“No, is your answer,” one replied, glasses drooping down the bridge of his nose. “but if we were doing anything suggestive, I have no problem grabbing Donghyuck’s ass.”

“Hands off the merch, Jaehyun,” Donghyuck said, flicking away the creeping appendage from getting anywhere near his butt.

“Since we’re on the subject,” another spoke, his clothes hanging loosely on his thin frame, hair dyed a dirty blonde. “Sicheng,” he leaned suspiciously close to the last unknown male in the room. “you say the word and my ass is yours.”

“Noted,” Sicheng said, chugging his soft drink with flourish, smacking his lips in satisfaction once the can was empty and crushed it with his hands, sending it flying towards Mark’s feet. “So, who are you?”

“Mark,” Donghyuck answered for him, examining the bewildered look on Mark’s face. “and we’re not crazy.”

His eyes did that thing where they twinkled at Mark, like they held all the stars in the sky. Still, Mark didn’t believe him entirely and his decision was right in his mind at least because the door opened right then, knocking him sideways. In came a small thing, body light, agile, voice gentle as he floated his way towards an empty spot between the blond and Jaehyun.

His arms were filled to the brim with boxes and bags, all of the junk variety.

“Gots the pocky for Yuta,” he said, throwing a pink box towards the blond. “Who wanted Cheetos?”

Jaehyun raised his hand, “Aye.” An orange bag hurdled through the hair and landed on the guy’s chest, nearly missing his face.

“A full course meal for Sicheng,” another Coke can plus a full box of oreos gets placed before an excited teen. “Share those with Hyuck, I couldn’t find him any Skittles.”

“Too bad,” Sicheng barely managed to say after stuffing two double-stuffed in his mouth.

“Asshole,” Donghyuck said, ignoring the hands attempting to block him from grabbing a handful of cookies. He won in the end and proudly munched on the bunch he gathered in his hands.

“Why’d I get this?” Renjun, Mark finally recognized (from his awkward spot standing by the open door) held up a grape juice box. “Here, newcomer.” Mark fumbled to catch the drink thrown at him. “Can you close the door, please? I don’t want the smell of teenage hormones coming in.”

Mark obeyed, shutting the door. He hesitated on what to do next.

“So, whose boyfriend is he?”

Jaehyun said, without looking up from his bag of Cheetos, “Mine of course.”

“He’s not your type,” Sicheng said, arguing through his unashamed stuffing of oreos in his mouth. “He and I could look good together I think, we have similar same body types.” Sicheng tilted his head, giving Mark a look that made him feel the sudden need to cover himself even though he was fully clothed. Yuta seemed to stifle with some undescribed emotion.

“As equally similar when comparing a giraffe to a hippo, a prince to a pauper and so on and so forth to prove my point. Yeah, no,” Yuta jabbed, poking Sicheng’s cheek with a pocky stick before nibbling on it (the pocky, that is).

“He’s no one’s boyfriend, Renjun,” Donghyuck said, interjecting in the battle brewing between the two eyeing each other hungrily – at the food or at each other, Mark did not know. “At least, not yet.” Mark was not distracted enough by the staring contest between Sicheng and Yuta to miss the appreciative once over he received right then.

“Ohhh…” Renjun cooed, wiggling his eyebrows. “Tasty.”

“The food or Mark.”

“Both are equally appetizing.”

Donghyuck waved a hand. “Stop guys, before you give the kid a heart attack.”

Mark didn’t think he was that obvious in how flustered he was, all the indirect and direct compliments he was receiving what he guessed would be enough for his entire lifetime.

Renjun had the gulls to look sheepish. “Sorry man, hope you aren’t too traumatized.”

Shaking his head, Mark accepted the invitation to sit down in the circle and settled comfortably in between Sicheng and Donghyuck. “I think I’ve dealt with worse,” memories of when he was going through the house replayed and Mark shivered, remembering the boy he’d had the misfortune of interacting with.

“You are kinda attractive I guess,” Yuta said and ducked away from a hit by Sicheng.

Mark huffed and tried to ease into the conversation some more. “I’m kinda flattered,” he listened to Donghyuck’s little laugh, Mark’s eyes zeroing in on his cute smile, entranced with the way his eyes did that thing he liked, where they seemed to shine a bit brighter his way.

“You’re cute, Mark,” Jaehyun said, pointing a cheese powdered finger at him. “I like you.”

“Are we calling dibs or what?” Renjun’s voice was bored but his aura so strong Mark believed that if this small boy asked him to commit a crime, he would listen without argument.

“Dibs,” Donghyuck casually threw out, before anyone else fully registered what was being asked.

Mark’s lips curled, cheeks red, and hung his head when he felt a shy giggle come out. He ignored the spluttering from the rest of the group and focused on how ridiculously silly it was that his chest became so light he felt like he was soaring through the clouds. Mark faced Donghyuck, sharing a look between that that felt so comfortable and sweet it was unreal. God, this night couldn’t get weirder.

“Unfair!”

“Rematch.”

“Really?!”

“Good luck, son,” Jaehyun said, slapping Mark’s shoulder encouragingly. His eyes looked at Mark with terrible foreboding. “Godspeed.”

Renjun added, “Hope you can handle this one,” Renjun leaned closer to Mark, whispering, “He’s feisty.”

“Shut up,” Donghyuck said, grabbing an oreo from the open package and flinging it at Renjun, who then caught it in his mouth.

“Boo yeah,” Renjun hollered, earning laughter all around the circle.

Mark briefly wondered how Jaemin was doing, if he would be impressed that he was sitting with a group of university kids. Apparently, Jaehyun was Donghyuck’s cousin? And this was Sicheng’s house? But he wasn’t hosting though, apparently his little brother, Chenle, was running for valedictorian this year and invited basically their entire senior class. Mark tried to keep up with what Renjun was kindly informing him, but it was hard to concentrate when Donghyuck was right there.

At one point, Renjun’s description of Chenle’s achievements this year was interrupted by Jaehyun screaming about a spider by the bed, making him turn away from Mark. He didn’t really notice since he was too busy staring at Donghyuck, who was searching through his phone, looking for another song to play.

“So…”

Donghyuck looked up, his caramel bangs flopping across his forehead. He was like a puppy, a soft puppy. Mark wanted so badly to reach out and just pet his hair.

“Which do you prefer? Beat It or Smooth Criminal?”

Mark raised an eyebrow, confused where the questions came from.

Donghyuck sighed, exasperated, and Mark hated how cute he was. His feelings were really starting to go out of control.

“Michael Jackson, you loser. I feel like listening to a king.”

“Um,” Mark hummed. “I don’t really listen to Michael Jackson to be honest. I don’t really know his songs.”

That seemed to be the wrong thing to say. Donghyuck gasped, a hand clutching his shirt above his heart. “You motherfuck,” Donghyuck said, causing Mark’s eyes to widen. “Come here you need to be educated.” He grabbed Mark’s hand, dragging him to Donghyuck’s side, making their thighs touch and shoulders rub. The entirety of Mark’s right side lit up, a fire blazing everywhere they met.

“You are going to be taught right tonight, babe,” Donghyuck sang, untangling the earphones in his hand. “What kind of person doesn’t appreciate Michael Jackson?”

Mark breathed, “A horrible person, I guess.” He stared at Donghyuck, stared at his button nose, the mole to the left of his button nose, his pretty eyes as they focused on his earphones, his cherry lips muttering the dirtiest profanities.

Finally, he looked up at Mark, eyebrows pinched together in frustration, saying, “Listen and be blessed.”

The earphones shared between them, a heavy rhythmic beat accompanied by a raspy confident voice. Mark looked to the side, watching Donghyuck close his eyes and enjoy the music. Mark usually listened to the most generic pop songs out there, he’d even say he was a Directioner at the peak of the hype. Maybe he could give the King of Pop a chance. Donghyuck moved to pick a new song, and Mark got hit with a sudden need.

He could see them doing this every Saturday night. Donghyuck would come over to his house. They’d be in sweatpants and ratty comic t-shirts. Donghyuck would tease him about his Spider-Man comic book collection, and Mark could tease him about Beat It blasting from his phone for the millionth time that week. They would sit down on the couch (Mark’s parents wouldn’t be home - they had date nights Saturday too). They’d play the cheesiest movies: 13 Going on 30, Clueless, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, etc. All of them they’d do constant commentary about how cringey a line would be, how early 00’s, late 90’s. Donghyuck would get bored and he’d force Mark to listen to his new obsession, and they’d scramble to untangle his goddamn earphones but Mark wouldn’t mind. He never minded. Because they were cuddling. And Mark liked cuddles.

Mark wanted that more than anything. He’d never developed a crush so fast, so hard, so pitifully. He wanted so much and he knew he had to try, to ask, or else he’d regret it for the rest of his life.

He gathered all his courage, “Hey, Donghyuck,” The Boy looked up, The Most Beautiful Boy in the World looked at him like whatever he had to say was worth something. “Would you like to go-”

“What the fuck are you doing?” Sicheng’s disgusted voice shot through the moment, making Mark realize how disconnected they’d been.

Embarrassed, Mark shuffled away, letting the earphones drop, not looking at Donghyuck or whatever expression he was wearing.

(His anticipated, hopeful, expectant expression. Goddamn it, Mark Lee, Donghyuck watched at the boy shyfully turned away. I almost had you)

Still, Sicheng was disgusted and it was aimed at Yuta. His tongue was peaked out between his glistening lips, the juice he had been drinking now finished and abandoned on the carpeted floor. Yuta flicked his tongue this way and that as Mark wondered what he was doing.

“My tongue is cold,” he said, words muffled, as he hung out his tongue like a dog panting in the summer. “Sicheng, let me put it in your mouth.”

“Eh, maybe later,” Sicheng shrugged, probably enjoying the way Yuta hummed in triumph.

The group continued on, and Donghyuck pulled him aside again. Mark hoped he never noticed how red his face was, or how he could never let his eyes stray too far away from Donghyuck. He wondered if Donghyuck knew he had such power, that whatever he said, in the few months Mark’s known him, controlled Mark in such a way that even he never knew was possible.

Was this love?

Donghyuck was distracted by Renjun at one point. The two spitfires now at an argument that Mark was sure Donghyuck was gonna win. He simple listened to the Michael Jackson song Donghyuck put on. He didn’t even know the name. He knew Donghyuck really liked it though, if the way Donghyuck held his phone tighter after playing it was any indication. If Donghyuck liked it, then Mark was gonna say it was the best song ever.

No, it wasn’t, Mark decided, watching at Donghyuck indeed won the debate, but Renjun spurred him on again. He needed to ask him out first. Take him on a date. A real date where they talked about feelings and boyfriends and holding hands. Mark could think about love then. For now, Mark watched Donghyuck glow brighter than the hottest embers, entranced with the way he was so gentle in the way he burned. Mark should be careful, he was way too close. But he was always cold anyway, he could use a little sun.

“Can we do something else?” Yuta said, stopping the debate between apple and cherry pie currently at a climax with Donghyuck and Sicheng as the main contributors. Yuta leaned on Renjun’s shoulder, cheek getting squished as he squinted at the rest. “Wanna watch a movie?

“I don’t feel like watching a movie,” Jaehyun said, rolling crumbs between his fingers. “Besides, we’d just talk through it anyway, no use.”

Yuta dampened but brightened soon after. “Can we make out?”

Sicheng bit out a sharp, “Nope.”

“Awww, it’s later isn’t it?”

“It’s gonna be never if you aren’t patient”

Yuta snapped his teeth at him, “Party pooper.”

“Excuse my shit on the establishment,” Sicheng said. “Next time i’ll aim it at your face.”

“I don’t remember you ever being this crude,” Donghyuck said, eyes wide in wonder.

“Me neither,” Sicheng said, face scrunching up as he stared straight ahead. “Renjun, what’s in these oreos?” he stuffed more in his mouth and appeared to get more hyper by the bite.

“The good stuff,” Renjun said, looking suggestively in Sicheng’s direction.

Sicheng suspiciously handled the oreo in his hand before mumbling fuck it and continuing his snacking.

“I think we’re ruining the new kid,” Jaehyun craned his head to smile jokingly at Mark.

“I’m alright,” Mark said, genuinely having a good time. “You guys are fun, and I’m used to these kinds of things anyway.” Abruptly five coy grins made their way onto watching faces, seeing this Mark hurried to correct himself. “Not in that way! My friend! I learn a lot from him!”

Yuta leaned closer, chin settling on a comfortable place on his fist hitched up in his knee. “Oh, experienced are we?”

Mark frantically waved his hands, eager to get his point across. “I just mean he talks too much and really descriptively, I swear.”

“Honesty corner,” Renjun yelled, fingers snapping to get all focus on him.

“The fuck is that?” Sicheng asked.

Yuta cut off whatever Renjun began to say. “Basically, truth or dare without the dare.”

“Is that even fun?” Donghyuck asked.

“Very,” Renjun stressed. “Yuta first.”

Yuta eyed the group before straightening, chin raised high and eyes getting darker as he looked down upon them. “Actually, let’s mix it up a bit.”

“We haven’t even played it yet and you’re changing the rules?” complained Jaehyun but a harsh shush startled him back into silence.

“Let us...”

A snort. “Lettuce,” Sicheng fell over in laughter.

“You’re a child.”

“You’re a hoe.”

“Enough!” Yuta said, shoving Sicheng but with a fond grin as Sicheng collapsed in a fit of pained groans mingling with still there laughter. An odd sight, Mark turned away to watch Yuta who now had his sights set on him. Mark gulped nervously.

Last time he played Truth or Dare it was at summer camp of 2006, and to this day he still doesn’t use sunscreen. Please, never ask (and yes he wears sunglasses, hats, and long-sleeves on sunny days. Fuck you).

“Let’s make this a getting-to-know each other thing,“ Yuta said.

“I like my title better,” Renjun interrupted, lips pursed. Mark looked at Renjun. He seemed like the no nonsense type. He should let Jaemin know, he always liked them small and stubborn, said that he loved someone he could argue with.

Yuta was frustrated, “I’m just trying to get to know our new friend. Donghyuck’s been hogging him all night! Let’s make it Mark’s corner.”

A series of hums follow and Mark started to wave his hands, completely unwilling for all the attention to be on him. “I’m not very interesting,” he pleaded.

Jaehyun shrugged, “Neither are we. See? Friendship. We’ll get along great.”

“But, really,” Mark insisted, casting a nervous glance around the group. For a millisecond he caught Donghyuck’s smiling eyes. It set his heart at ease, but, “You shouldn’t make this about me.”

Surprisingly, Yuta softened and gave him a friendly smile. “We want to. Don’t feel so awkward.”

Easier said than done. Mark fidgeted in his place, crossing his legs and pressing his lips together. He hoped that the questions would be easy but anticipated that they wouldn’t be. He nodded anyway. “So...what do you want to know?”

The soft, amiable grin slid off entirely and Yuta wrapped his left arm around Renjun’s neck, right hand planted on the open space inside Renjun’s crossed legs, giving him leverage to learn forward and stare strongly at Mark, who blinked beadily back at him. “What’s the most obscene thing you've ever done?”

Mark squawked, his eyes widening. His ears rung as the rest of the boys laughed and simultaneously smacked Yuta until the blonde was on the ground, yelling for mercy.

“What kind of question is that?” Sicheng asked.

“Anything else would have been boring to ask,” Yuta reasoned. “Besides, we all seem to be pretty crude today and who am I to stop that wonderful theme?”

Mark thought that the question would slide considering half the group had pummeled Yuta to the ground for asking it in the first place but now the five others, all toppled on a pile in front of him, snapped their heads back to look at him.

“Well?” Yuta said, shoving Jaehyun off his leg and elbowing Renjun who was resting on his stomach.

Mark searched his head and drew a blank. He shrugged and was met with an ocean of gaping faces.

“Seriously?” Renjun said. “you haven’t even made out in public?”

“Never dated,” Mark said. Hopefully that doesn’t stay true for long but who knows how long that grape juice was gonna give him courage. He reached forward to finish the rest of his juice box but it was swiped away underneath his fingertips. Mark looked up to stare dead-set innto Sicheng’s confused face

“But, you’re hot.”

Mark felt slightly uncomfortable by the barks of compliments randomly thrown at him. He wrinkled his nose in distaste, then said, “I never liked anyone enough to date before….or kiss.”

He hesitantly looked to his right, wondering how His Boy was reacting to all this. Donghyuck noticed him and smirked with the cutest, funniest wiggle of his brows. Which Mark found irreplaceably endearing and made him want to touch his eyebrows. He was so gone.

When Mark turned back towards the rest of them, he felt a warm sensation on his leg and saw Donghyuck’s pressing up tightly next to him. It was comforting more than anything and he welcomed it, even if he still pathetically thought about eyebrows and how they shouldn’t make him want to fall in love.

“Wow,” Sicheng said, crossing his arms over his chest. “Even your lips need deflowering.”

Swallowing a bundle of air in his throat which felt tight despite its nonexistence, Mark said, “I’m in no hurry.”

(such a fucking lie, Mark Lee. Donghyuck smiled, seeing Mark look at him again. Stare at him again. When are you going to ask me, you loser.)

Quick glance to his right and half his attention was spent on over-thinking whether he should move closer to The Most Beautiful Boy on Earth or answering the questions fired his way.

“I volunteer as tribute,” Jaehyun said, shooting Mark a greasy look. The action spurred an onslaught of boos and half an oreo sticking on his forehead.

“Made me waste a perfectly good cookie.”

Mark struggled to hide his laugh, silently thanking Donghyuck beside him who grudgingly ate the other half.

Renjun clapped his hands, restoring minimal order to the rowdy group. “So! who gets the honor of deflowering Mark?”

Mark scrambled, staring at Renjun in horror. “What?!” Nevermind, Mark thought. Renjun and Jaemin were never to meet as long as he shall live.

Renjun rightfully looked apologetic but not in the way Mark hoped. “Sorry. I meant to say - Mark, who would you like to deflower you?”

“C’mon, don’t force him,” Donghyuck said, though the way his lips shook with nearly unrestrained amusement, there wasn’t enough drive for it to be convincing.

The expectant eyes gazing at him were fairly intimidating but his stare connected with Donghyuck’s. There was a distinct softness in them, a reassurance that over-washed him in calmness. For once, his heart lulled its stochastic beats. He felt safe. These guys held no danger, Mark knew this, but he felt oddly protected anyway, so long as those eyes looked at him like that.

Therefore, Mark found himself saying, “It’s fine.”

He heard a whoop from Yuta, Renjun’s hollering, Sicheng’s sounds of approval, and Jaehyun’s shrieks but Donghyuck remained silent, but participated fully in the looks exchanged between him and Mark. There was evident amusement, as if not expecting this predicament but fully accepting of it, but also understanding as he blinked and disconnected.

“Well then,” Yuta began.

“I called dibs,” Donghyuck said, standing up and stretched out his hand for Mark to take. Not reacting fast enough, Mark felt his body get hauled up by a tight grip on his forearm.

The bouts of protests followed them on their way out, echoing as they walked down the hall, Donghyuck’s hand falling from its place on a slim forearm to settle comfortably on a warm palm. Mark lets their fingers intertwine, letting himself be dragged through the busy crowds, somewhat starry-eyed.

(warm at the palm, cold at the fingertips)

They walked past the living room, where the dance floor was still a sweaty mass of teenagers and Mark caught Jaemin’s eye as the latter was rocking out by the edge. Jaemin looked confusedly between the two, but after noticing their hands between them, he sent Mark a proud nod and an appraising thumbs up. Mark motioned to punch him in the face.

It was darker than when he last checked once they arrived outside. They came when the party was dull, aka around ten o’clock. They passed a throng of partying people wildly moving around the immediate area that gathered cars with red cups littering the ground. Someone screamed before there was a chorus of exclamations that Mark could only hope were good. Mark was careful to avoid the passed out bodies on the ground, apologizing to one person whose hand he stepped on. Yeah, it was definitely, at least, one in the morning. So much for being Cinderella.

“Sorry,” he tried to apologize to a girl he accidentally shoved aside. She was too busy chugging down a beer to notice though. I mean, Mark thought with a relieved sigh, at least he didn’t hurt her. Donghyuck chuckled beside him, leading them away from the loud music and walking serenely down a sidewalk. The streets were quieting down, the party fading in the background as the most picturesque suburbia sprouted around them.

“If you’re going to keep being so cute, you’ll have to kiss me.”

Mark nearly stopped but almost tripped, so he avoided that chance at being a klutz. However, he still choked, any air that he had in his lungs failing him as he struggled to breath. How did one breathe again? “Um-”

Shaking his head, Donghyuck pat Mark’s back, only stopping once Mark’s choking went down and he remembered how to breathe again.

“I was just joking.” (I wasn’t Mark Lee, you’re such an idiot, but I’ve liked you too long so I’ll forgive you for being the most oblivious, biggest shit alive)

Mark felt hot all of a sudden, aware of how sweaty his right hand began to feel and suddenly cautious of his left. “You’re still holding my hand.”

Donghyuck smiled knowingly, “You’re still holding mine.”

Mark felt his heart flip and swallowed roughly. He remembered to inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale. “True… should I let go?”

“No point, too lazy to let go anyway.”

They walked absentmindedly, slowly without purpose, straight down a winding road grossly lit by yellow orange streetlights. Their hands swayed gently between them, a breeze coming in and cooling Mark’s skin. They passed a playground, a hopscotch drawn prettily on the sidewalk in pink pastel chalk. Donghyuck kept their hands firmly clasped together as he jumped on 1,3,5, and 6.

“So…” Mark spoke after they passed the elementary school. “Where are we going?”

Donghyuck shrugged. Mark noticed a small shiver seem to ripple down his spine, he even noticed the small goosebumps sprinkling down his forearm. Mark hated how he didn’t have a jacket. “Nowhere. Just stalling so they’ll think we did something.”

“Oh,” Mark said, already knowing he was going to hate himself for asking. “So, we’re not actually doing any...um deflowering?”

“You sound disappointed.”

“What? No, I mean, no, it’s not that I’m, I just expected-”

“I understand, Mark,” Donghyuck said, turning so he walked backwards, hands still joined between them. “But, I rather not take something like that from you when it should be with someone you like.”

“I like you,” Mark said, and he found the words easier to say that he originally thought. Maybe it was the air, the yellow streetlights, the one a.m. feeling of being on top on the world. Honestly, it was probably the oreos. Renjun probably put something in them.

Donghyuck smiled, and the way he did, Mark could tell he already knew. Donghyuck slowed his steps, their pace not differing but the distance between them lessened and Mark was worried he’d knock into Donghyuck and topple him over. But that didn’t happen and all it gave Mark was a great view of the boy in front of him.

Donghyuck looked at him, “Do you even know what deflowering means?”

Mark stopped, wrecking his brain. He feels like he did, “Isn’t it just like...kissing or something?”

Donghyuck threw his head back in laughter, the scene so beautiful Mark wished he could pause time and just stop. And watch. And remember forever.

“You’re so innocent,” Donghyuck teased, taking Mark’s left hand in both of his and giving it a juvenile shake. “Look it up, Mark. Deflowering is not kissing and not something we should do.”

They turned at the end of the pavement beside an empty intersection, beginning their circle back towards the house. “Young grasshopper,” Donghyuck said, earning a light chuckle from them both. “You have so much to learn.”

“To learn huh?” Mark teased, feeling a fire spark inside him. Maybe Donghyuck was contagious. “Experienced, are we?”

“Ew, you sound like Yuta,” Donghyuck puffed his chest. “I’ve kissed a few people in my youth.”

“A few?”

“A couple.”

“A couple?”

“Okay, one person, shut up.”

Mark laughed, loving how he flustered Donghyuck for the first time. “Is there a story to it?”

Donghyuck sighed, twirling around until he was walking backwards, facing Mark head on. “It was last year. My first kiss. At a party like this.” Mark smiled, seeing Donghyuck chuckle over the memory. “I was with Jaehyun and them, like always. I wanted to try alcohol, since you know my cousin could get alcohol finally and I wanted to test my limit with people I trusted. Renjun was there of course, being the best supportive best friend anyone could ever be.”

Mark could see where this was going, “Oh no, you didn’t.”

Donghyuck nodded grimly but with a slight fondness, “We had a bit too much hard lemonade and Jaehyun got it all on video.”

“On video?”

“Yep,” Donghyuck sighed. “I kissed Renjun first. And it was cute, if I do say so myself. We were laying on the ground in my cousin’s dorm, and giving each other little kisses. I mean it’s cute you know? Your first kiss being your best friend?”

“Was it awkward though?” Mark asked. He imagined kissing Jaemin. He immediately decided to never think about it again.

Donghyuck shook his head, “Honestly, no. I mean we argued a bit about who was the better kisser but that’s it. Renjun says he did me a favour since no one in the world would want to kiss me.”

Mark snuck a peek at Donghyuck, His Boy, Cute Boy, The Boy who returned to walking beside him, leading the way straight ahead. His eyes were dark, very brown, very wide, and held so many things behind them. Donghyuck’s cheeks were lightly colored from either the weather, exertion or something else entirely and his lips were so red, such an appealing red.

Donghyuck, His Boy, Cute Boy, The Boy. Mark wanted him to be Donghyuck. He wanted to know him as Donghyuck, to know everything about him. He really wanted Donghyuck, His Boy, Cute Boy, The Boy. Boyfriend. Donghyuck, His Boyfriend. Please, can you be my boyfriend?

Maybe there was something in the oreos and the grape juice.

“I wouldn’t mind kissing you.”

Donghyuck stopped and turned to Mark, incredulously widening his eyes and asking, “What?”

Breathing was so hard. “You heard me.”

“Wow, Mark Lee,” Donghyuck said, staring at Mark like he was out of this world. “I didn’t know you had it in you.”

Mark could only laugh, hoping his hand wasn’t shaking as hard as his heart was beating. “I know, I- wait, you know my last name?”

Donghyuck rolled his eyes, “I’ve known you since we started high school.”

“What? How?”

“Renjun and Jaemin have had a thing going on since forever. They met at orientation.”

“What?!” Mark could feel a migraine coming. “I swear I only saw you in school like three months ago?”

Huffling their positions so they faced each other, Mark looked nervous as Donghyuck leaned closer to settle a solid hand on Mark’s cheek, “You’re so oblivious, babe,” he whispered, running a gentle hand through Mark’s messy hair. “Be thankful I’m patient.”

Donghyuck’s toes stayed perched on the ground as he stretched up, eyes shining and fluttering to a delicate close. Mark wasn’t sure when to close his eyes, initially distracted watching the lips drawing nearer to his own. Warm breath dusted lightly on his face and his eyes shut on their own accord, a pleasant pressure covering his lips.

Cold fingertips were steadily holding him in place as lips caressed his own, making a rainbow of colors explode in his mind. Blue for when Donghyuck pressed deeper, green for when Mark realized he could wrap his arm around his waist, red for the tingling feeling spreading through his whole body as touches were placed on the back of his neck. The butterflies in his stomach, having been there since the beginning of the night, were now batting their wings and Mark could only describe it as a fuzzy feeling that matched the pink of when Donghyuck made a noise that made Mark smile.

It was over too soon and the colors faded, Mark’s eyes opening to meet with the yellow orange of the air around them, which wasn’t so bad anymore, considering he was still full with feelings from Donghyuck’s kiss. A new sensation came though, and it came in the palest yellow, the lightest blue, the softest sound, and the gentlest touch. It was the fondness in Donghyuck’s eyes – not the same softness Mark’s seen directed at him but a similar emotion that could only be associated with the boy consuming his every feeling.

“C’mon,” Donghyuck said, untangling his arms that were settled around Mark’s shoulders and leading them back to the party, where few of the questions targeted at them were answered and the recognizable emotions in Donghyuck’s eyes were gone.

(but Mark figured, wished, that they were just for him).

\---

Everyone hated Mondays, but who hated Mondays more were the people who did not sleep. Mark was one of those people. He thought about Donghyuck a lot before, but now every other second something, anything, haunted him so that Mark could only think of the transpired events from Saturday night. Sunday morning? Whatever. His Sunday eventually turned into a day of endless thoughts about blues, greens, and reds, in addition to a detailed research of butterflies.

Mark marched beside Jaemin’s locker, waiting for his friend to grab his books before saying a deadpan, “Fuck you.”

Jaemin startled, almost dropping the books in his hands. “Good morning to you, fuckface,” Jaemin slapped his locker shut, eyeing Mark’s dark eyes. “Did you have nightmares or something?”

“I have the devil as a best friend,” Mark growled, shoving Jaemin.

Jaemin smiled as he turned to make way to their first class. “Still angry, huh?”

“You made me run around like a headless chicken, you asshole.”

“I had to make you work for your boyfriend,” Jaemin scoffed, lightly skipping down the halls. “Do you know how long it took for me to get Renjun to even talk to me? I won’t even say how but it took almost five hundred balloons. Imagine how much allowance that is.”

“How has Renjun dealt with you,” Mark rubbed his temples. “How have I not know you had a boyfriend for the past four fucking years?”

“You don’t ask, and I don’t kiss and tell.”

“You’re always talking about gross things!”

Jaemin tsked, “You never listen, dumbass.”

Mark rolled his eyes, beyond tired. He yawned, scratching the back of his head and distracted himself by people watching, and unfortunately, in his time of uncared for appearance, met Donghyuck’s eyes across the hallway.

Choking suddenly, Mark became unbalanced and teetered to the side, accidentally bumping into a school mate innocently minding their business.

“Sorry!” he said and let himself be pulled away by an annoyed Jaemin.

“You’re a walking hazard.”

“My bad,” Mark said, straightening his shirt and walking straight down the hall, licking his lips as he saw Donghyuck and Renjun walk in the opposite direction. Mark eyed Jaemin, wondering what he was gonna do, and was surprised when he sent the worst wink Mark has ever seen in his life to a stoic Renjun. Who for some reason, smiled like it was greater than Christmas. Was Mark that oblivious?

Choosing to keep silent, Mark just waited for Donghyuck to come closer. He should have asked him on a date properly, so that way he wasn’t nervous like the fool we was right now. There was a small brush of hands, then a rustle in his blazer pocket.

Mark looked back and saw a twinkle in Donghyuck’s eyes, a flash of that feeling and Mark felt his butterflies wake up for the first time that day. He fiddled his pocket, glancing down to see a number written in red ink and a small packet of Skittles.

\---

The doorbell rang and Mark cursed, almost breaking his knee as he scrambled off his bed. He grabbed his phone from his night stand. “Four o’clock,” Mark whispered, looking around his dirty room. The doorbell rang again, “I’m coming!”

Oh well, Mark thought, it’s not like he wasn’t used to it.

He ran across the hallway, sliding into a stop at the front door. He could already hear Beat It blasting from his boyfriend’s earphones. He always told him he put the volume too loud.

Opening the door, Mark gave Donghyuck a stressed look. “You’re early.”

Donghyuck smiled and Mark hated him. Hated him because he was still the best thing he’s ever seen. “And you forgot didn’t you.”

Mark squeaked, stepping aside so Donghyuck could come in. “I didn’t!”

“Uh huh,” Donghyuck hummed, taking his shoes off and throwing his jacket aside. He was wearing Mark’s Spider-Man shirt. “Anyways, we’re watching You’ve Got Mail and I don’t care what you say.”

“What?” Mark’s eyes grew ten times wider. “Again?”

“Yes,” Donghyuck grumbled, shuffling towards the couch in the living room. “My parents are annoying me about uni and the damn dorm room situation. Like what’s the big deal? Rooming with you is so much easier than me coming over every day.”

Mark chuckled, knowing how Donghyuck’s parents were. They’d been talking about this since December. “They just don’t want us to be living together since we’re dating.”

“What? They think you’re gonna deflower me?” Donghyuck sneered. “Yeah right, you still panic over holding my hand.”

“Hey!” Mark yelled from the kitchen. He already knew Donghyuck would complain how salty he was making the popcorn. “It’s not my fault, I just don’t want to sweat all over you, okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, Smooth Criminal,” Donghyuck laughed. Mark waited until he finished preparing the snacks before jumping onto the couch. The heat leech he called His Boyfriend immediately drapes all over him. Caramel head nestled underneath his chin, long legs thrown over his lap, his own arm draped comfortably, naturally, around his waist.

“By the way,” Donghyuck said, already scrolling through his playlist. “Listen to this, I think you’ll like it.”

Mark really loved to cuddle. It’s amazing Donghyuck does too.

**Author's Note:**

> twt @leledyo


End file.
